Shelley Duvall’s Last Movie: ‘Manna From Heaven’

Shelley Duvall hasn’t been seen in a movie since 2002’s Manna From Heaven and has shied away from publicity until a controversial interview with Dr. Phil. The actress, who was a major figure in American films of the 1970s and early 1980s, revealed to Phil McGraw that she is believes she is mentally ill and needs help.

If Manna From Heaven turns out to be Duvall’s last film, it will be disappointing to the 67-year-old’s fans. Despite featuring an all-star cast, the film was met with negative reviews and currently has a 22 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Here’s the synopsis of the film:

In Buffalo, NY, during the ’50s, the wind blows in cash money to the tune of 20 thousand dollars. Believing it was a tangible gift from God, Sister Teresa (Ursula Burton) tries to gather up the money and pay it back 30 years later. However, her family members don’t want to give up their free money and can’t even get along, including card dealer Inez (Wendie Malick) and con artists Bunny (Shirley Jones) and Ed Burns (Frank Gorshin, in his final film role).

Manna From Heaven wasn’t just Duvall’s last film. It was also the last film featuring Frank Gorshin, who is best known for playing The Riddler on the 1960s Batman series. Jerry Orbach also appeared in the film before his death in 2004.

The cast also includes three Oscar-winners: Cloris Leachman, Louise Fletcher and Shirley Jones. Seymour Cassel, Faye Grant, Jill Eikenberry, Ursula Burton and Wendie Malick also star. Despite that star-power, the film was a flop with critics and audiences. According to BoxOfficeMojo, it made just $505,675 during its theatrical run.

The film was written by Gabrielle Burton and directed by Gabrielle and Maria Burton. Their siblings at Five Sisters Productions produced the independent film.

Duvall hasn’t made a movie since Manna From Heaven and her appearance on Dr. Phil is the first time she’s been seen publicly in years. In the preview of the episode, she says she sees visions, even believing that her friend Robin Williams is not dead. The interview is already been seen as exploitative. Vivan Kubrick, whose father Stanley Kubrick directed The Shining, called for a boycott of the episode.

Daniel S. Levineis entertainment and news contributor to Heavy, and former editor at TheCelebrityCafe.com. Graduate of Hofstra University, plus classic movie and Star Wars geek. Follow him on Twitter at @dsl89 and contact him at daniel.levine@heavy.com.November 18, 2016 10:48 am